


Graced

by hogwarts_is_frozen



Category: Frozen - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/F, elsamarren, graceling AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25237186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hogwarts_is_frozen/pseuds/hogwarts_is_frozen
Summary: This is a quick one-shot written based off the book "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore where certain people are 'Graced' was special abilities. Elsa has been raised by her power hungry uncle and used as a weapon since she was eight summers old. It isn't until a certain dignitary from the elusive people of Northuldra comes crashing into her life that Elsa begins to feel true joy again.
Relationships: Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	Graced

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written as a Elsanna fic but after seeing Frozen 2, I decided I liked this much better :)

The archery range was empty and dark except for the lone torch near the equipment room. Elsa sighed with relief as she kicked off the awful shoes that had been pinching her feet all evening and flexed the ache from her toes. Gerda had insisted that she wear the damn things to her uncle’s dinner party. Next, she raked her fingers furiously through her pale blonde hair, pulling out all the carefully placed pins so that her braid uncoiled itself from its tight bun.

The Graceling woman allowed the cool night air to wash over her face and she inhaled deeply, trying to settle her whirring thoughts. She’d lost her temper at dinner, freezing that goblet of wine, and for no reason. Her uncle hadn’t even talked to her, she’d only heard him speak her name. He loved bragging of her to his guests, and of what she could do. It hadn’t been until she’d become conscious of the Northuldran ambassador’s gaze that Elsa had decided she needed to get out of the castle.

What was it about that woman that put her in such agitation? Just the memory of her burning eyes made gooseflesh rise all along her arms under the sleeves of her dress, and heat crawl up her neck. She needed to move. Shaking her head and smoothing back her wild bangs, Elsa strode purposefully towards the equipment shed, lighting the other torches as she did so. Grabbing a bow at random and ignoring the many bundles of multi-coloured arrows that filled the baskets along the back wall, Elsa faced her first target.

Her vision narrowed to the human-shaped dummies across the range as she conjured one arrow after another and fired them at her target’s thighs, knees, and calves. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Elsa knew that the temperature was dropping rapidly around her and she could see the frost her arrows lefts behind when she called the ice back to her. She wondered how she must look as her speed and ferocity increased: savage most likely.

 _But I am savage,_ she thought bitterly. _It’s no wonder my uncle uses me like he does... like a weapon._

It wasn’t until she felt a presence behind her that the woman began to check herself. She slowed her movements and allowed the warmth to return, but she didn’t bother looking over her shoulder. She knew it was the Northuldran.

She did however, become conscious of the thin layer of ice beneath her feet and the fact that they were bare, her hair swept back and hanging down her back, as well as the shoes in a pile beside the shed. _She_ was sure to have noticed. Elsa doubted there was much those eyes missed.

“Can you kill with your arrows? Or do you only wound?”

Elsa recognized her tinkling voice from the courtyard when she’d seen the ambassador talking to the captain of her uncle’s guard. She didn’t respond. Instead, she notched two arrows to her bow and fired. One hit the center of the dummy’s forehead, while the other buried itself deep into its chest with a satisfying thud. They glittered menacingly in the flickering torchlight before dissolving away.

“Remind me never to challenge you to an archery match.” There was laughter in her voice now.

Elsa kept her back to the woman and fired another arrow. “Most would advise you not to challenge me to anything.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” the girl replied casually. “I’ve been told I’m a pretty good fighter.”

Elsa turned around, finding that statement interesting. “Is that what your Grace is then? Fighting?”

The ambassador was leaning her hip against the slab of stone that served as a table for practicing archers, arms crossed and a small smirk painting her lips. Her gaze was just as assaulting as it had been at dinner. She nodded. “My Grace gives me skill in hand-to-hand combat, or sword-to-sword, but I’m no better at firing an arrow than someone Ungraced.”

“Hmm.” Elsa said, distracted by the way the ambassador’s hair reflected the low light. The dark brown strands shone so bright that it was just like the fountains of chocolate that Elsa had once loved as a child.

The Northuldran was silent for a beat before glancing at Elsa’s hands. “Can you really make anything you want?”

“Yes.”

“Can I see?”

Elsa considered the ambassador for a moment before giving a barely perceptible nod of her head. She rolled her shoulders and closed her eyes, inhaling as deeply as her lungs would allow.

When the woman opened her eyes again they burned so bright that they had become almost luminescent. The ambassador of Northuldra swore she could see a furious winter storm swirling in their depths. The Lady raised her hands in front of her chest and brought them together. As she slowly pulled them apart small blue sparks began to dance along her delicate fingers and a mist of supercooled air bubbled up from the gap between her palms, curling lazily around her wrists. Suddenly, she threw the cloud away from her so that a dervish of arctic air and snow pooled at her feet. The brunette watched in rapt fascination as ice rose up from the ground at the center of the small vortex in geometric patterns that folded and bent around each other until a solid shape began to form. The ambassador could eventually discern four legs that eventually gave way to a broad chest and neck, the end of that neck bulged out to sprout a round muzzle and two cat-like ears. At the other end, the back of the creature elongated and stretched until a thick tail curled behind it. A final flick of Elsa’s wrist caused the lingering snowflakes to fall away and the biting wind to fade, leaving behind the most detailed creation the ambassador had ever seen.

The snow leopard stared up at the ambassador through empty eyes that looked so real the woman half expected them to blink at any moment. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if she were to reach out and stroke the big cat’s fur, her hand would not meet something smooth and rigid, but instead soft and plush. She could see the fine ice crystals that made up each individual follicle, each eyelash, and each whisker. It was breathtaking. 

“Amazing,” the woman breathed with a wide grin, and Elsa could hear the laughter in her voice again. “You are truly the master of ice and snow, Lady Elsa.” 

Elsa couldn’t help the involuntary twitch of her lips that hinted at the beginnings of a smile. She quickly turned away and made her way over to the dummies, waving the lovingly crafted ice sculpture away as she did so. She inspected the many gaping holes in the dummy she ‘killed’ and brushed away the dusting of ice crystals that coated the one in its chest.

Elsa was aware of the ambassador’s eyes as she inspected the rest of the dummies, cleaning them off while extinguishing the lit torches behind them. When she snuffed out the last torch, Elsa knew she was completely covered by the darkness. She turned back to the ambassador, hoping to better observe her now that the other woman couldn’t see her stare. However, Elsa was surprised to find the girl was looking straight at her, there was no way she could see Elsa, it was impossible, but her gaze was so direct that Elsa found she had look away.

Walking back across the range, Elsa stepped back into the light. “Does your Grace give you night vision?”

The ambassador raised an eyebrow. “Of course not. Why do you ask?”

Elsa didn’t answer.

They looked at one another for a time and Elsa felt the flush rise to her cheeks again. No one had ever held her gaze this long. They always looked away in fear. The torchlight danced in the ambassador’s bicoloured eyes; one green, the other a soft brown - the difference in them marking her as a Graceling, just as Elsa knew her own did.

Elsa had never liked how her eyes had settled. They’d started out the same, as all Graced children did, but shortly after her eighth name day the deep blue of her left eye began to fade until the iris had gone almost completely white, save for the ring of grey around its border. It seemed the ambassador of Northuldra had been lucky, and Elsa thought the two colours suited her.

Elsa’s gaze drifted downward, suddenly remembering the first time she had seen the ambassador. “I see you at least close your shirt for state dinners.” She immediately snapped her mouth shut. Why on earth had she said that!

The smirk that jumped to the ambassador’s face caused Elsa’s to burn so hot it was a wonder she didn’t start to steam.

“I didn’t know you held such interest in my shirts, Lady Elsa,” the woman giggled, sending her a quick wink.

Elsa flexed her jaw and raised her chin. “I am going back to my rooms now,” she snapped, the ambassador’s laughter ringing in her ears, which only served to make her face burn that much hotter. Elsa had to admit it was a rather pretty laugh, even though it was at her expense. As she began to walk away, the ambassador jumped in her path.

“Wait! I’m sorry I laughed, it’s just… you are very cute when you get flustered,” she said gently, as though soothing a restive mare.

Elsa looked mildly scandalized. “Cute?” she choked. Never in a million summers did she expect to have _that_ word used on her. She moved to step around the ambassador, but again the woman blocked her path.

“Wait, wait, please don’t go. I need to ask you something,” she said giving Elsa a look that was somehow both apologetic and pleading.

Elsa exhaled through her nose and folded her arms across her chest. “What?”

The girl smiled again. “Do you know why I’m here?”

 _To serve as my new unyielding irritation._ When the woman’s smirk returned Elsa eyed her suspiciously, could she read minds too? “I know my uncle summoned you from the Mountains. I don’t know why,” she said through clenched teeth.

The girl nodded. “I am here because of my talents in combat. Even among the Graced I am one of the most skilled fighters. Your uncle has called me to better train his soldiers.”

Elsa raised a brow at that. “So where exactly do I fit into this?”

The woman suddenly turned shy, tucking a phantom strand of hair behind her ear and biting her lower lip. “Well you see... the thing is…. because I am the most skilled fighter in the realm it is hard to find someone to practice with who doesn’t yield in less than 30 seconds. You are probably one of the most powerful people I’ve ever seen, _and_ I know that you fight pretty good too even without all that icy,” she wiggled her fingers, “stuff. So, I was hoping maybe we could train together, so I can get better, plus it would be kinda fun I think,” she said excitedly.

The blonde blinked down at the ambassador, her mouth hanging slightly open and brow furrowed in confusion. “Let me make sure I am hearing you correctly,” she said holding up a finger. “You. Want me. To fight you so that you can improve your combat skills?” she asked slowly.

The woman nodded her head so vigorously Elsa worried she might break her neck.

“You’ve lost your mind,” Elsa deadpanned. “We are most assuredly _not_ evenly matched. Have you already forgotten what my Grace is? I would overcome you in a heartbeat,” she sniffed.

“I think you underestimate my skill,” the ambassador said, a playful gleam in her mismatched eyes. She lowered herself into a defensive stance. “The Northuldra are known for their skilled warriors, even the UnGraced ones. Try me.”

It took all of her willpower not to roll her eyes at the hot-headed woman. She was plucky, Elsa would give her that, but clearly misguided.

“C’mon! I’ll even keep my shirt buttoned up so you won’t get distracted.”

Elsa’s nostrils flared at the jab. “I am going to my rooms.” She turned away, but in a flash the Northuldran blocked her from leaving once again.

“I won’t let you,” the girl said. “Not until you give me an answer.”

Tired of this game Elsa thrust a burst of arctic air in the ambassador’s direction with the intention of throwing her backwards, and hopefully, knocking some sense into her. But the warrior rolled out of its path and was back on her feet before the flurry had even left Elsa’s palm, bringing them practically nose-to-nose.

It was almost with relief that Elsa struck out at the woman’s face, but the ambassador twisted away from the blow and countered with one of her own, aimed at Elsa’s stomach. At the last second, the Lady decided to absorb the punch to test just how strong the woman was. She instantly regretted her decision when the wind was almost knocked completely from her lungs. Jumping back, Elsa began firing handful after handful of ice at the feet of the other woman who side-stepped and weaved around each missile, leaving tall pillars of ice in her wake. When she’d made it back into striking distance, Elsa moved to kick the ambassador in the side, but the girl seemed to sense the attack, and quicker than a lightning strike, grabbed the blonde’s ankle and allowed her momentum to take them both to the ground. Elsa found herself on her back, pinned down by the woman’s weight and both wrists held above her head. The two lay that way for a few seconds breathing hard and covered in dirt. Their faces were so close, that if she’d wanted to, Elsa could count the freckles that dotted the ambassador’s cheeks and bridge of her nose.

It was then that Elsa realized the other woman was laughing, and she understood her joy. It had been ages since she’d been able to fight someone this way, it was exhilarating, and she could feel a smile of her own splitting her face.

“Do you surrender?” the ambassador asked between breaths.

“Never.”

Curling her legs, Elsa kicked the woman above her in the chest, pushing her away. Both of them had sprung to their feet and were now circling each other, each looking for an opening. Elsa lunged forward but the ambassador feinted to the left so that she could catch Elsa’s wrist and twist her arm behind her back. Elsa immediately threw up her elbow, connecting with the Northuldran face and twisted out of the hold.

The two of them grappled for several minutes. Elsa was by far faster of the two – even in her constricting dress – but the girl had cat-like reflexes and seemed to anticipate Elsa’s blows before she’d committed to them herself. Even her ice proved to be useless on the warrior. The woman was so light on her feet that she seemed to float above the ground, nimbly avoiding each of Elsa’s attempts to freeze the soles of her boots. Eventually, Elsa was able to gain the upper hand when a strike to the ambassador’s jaw landed true and drove the woman to the ground.

Elsa pushed the girl’s face in the dirt, trapping both her arms behind her back. “Surrender,” she huffed, pressing a knee into the warrior’s back.

“Maybe I should have left my shirt open after all,” the Northuldran laughed, twisting her shoulder hard. She managed to briefly squirm out of Elsa’s grasp but was quickly brought back down.

“I could just freeze you to the ground, you know,” Elsa said, the wide grin evident in her voice. 

“You could, but where is the fun in that?”

“Do you surrender then?”

The ambassador turned her head slightly so that she could look at Elsa properly - or at least as best as she could in that position. “Elsa,” she said into the dirt. “Lady Elsa. I will surrender on one condition.”

Elsa knew what she was going to say but decided to humour her anyway. “What?”

“Practice with me. You’re the first person to give me a real challenge in decades.”

Elsa released her hold on the ambassador - who rolled over but remained lying on her back - and sat down next to her. The girl winced as she put a hand to her cheekbone that was already starting to turn a dark purple. “Fine.”

The Northuldran warrior released an excited whoop and gave Elsa a smile that momentarily took her breath away. The woman then heaved herself up and offered a hand to Elsa who waved her away. Snorting at the blonde’s stubbornness, the ambassador swung each of her arms, testing the sockets before patting the dirt from her breeches. Her shirt was wrinkled and missing a sleeve, her lip was bleeding, her left eye swollen shut, and her hair was wild. But despite her ragged appearance, Elsa had never seen anyone look happier.

Elsa was sure she didn’t look much better and could practically hear Gerda’s scolding. “I look forward to our next meeting, Lady Ambassador,” she said.

“Honeymarren,” the woman corrected. “Call me, Honeymarren.”


End file.
